Barge conveyer



April 2I 1925 B. w KING BARGE CONVEYER 2 Sheets-Sheet l l llrll Filed Aug. 20, 1918 April 21, 1925. B. w. KING BARGE CONVEYER Filed Aug. 20, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21 1925.

UNITED STATES BERTELL W. KING, OF NEW YORK, N .Y.

BARGE CO'NVEYER.

Application filed August 20, 1918.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, BERTELL KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of Kings, State of New York, have made a certain new and useful invention in Barge Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for transporting barges in canals, waterways, and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide means for conveying barges, or similar waterway carriers, which is simple and efficient, and economical in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barge pusher for propelling barges in canals, or similar carriers in similar waterways, and to provide simple means for controlling the same.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location, and re lative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown by the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in plan of a barge propeller embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3, 3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction 0 the arrows. v

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic detail view taken on the line 4:, 4, Fig. 1, andlooking in the direction of the arrows. v

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the pilot house supporting stud.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a slightly modified construction of pilot house hoisting control .mechanism employed in accordance with my invention.

The same part is designated by'the same reference character wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

It is the present practice in canals particularly, and likewise onsimilar waterways,

to tow carriers which have not their own motive power for propulsion. This is usually accomplished on canals by means of mule power, horse power, or man power. On some of the larger canals, however, are employed canal towersconsisting of small boatswith propulsive power which are tied by lines, or

other suitable means, to the bargeto be Serial No. 250,636.

transported, for towing the same. Likewise the side of a carrier, and in this manner to 7,

transport the same. It is impossible, however, for this arrangement to be used on waterways such as canals where the width of the, canal is prohibitive against the carrier and its tower to be lashed side by side, and allow a barge to be passed coming in the opposite direction. In accordance with my invention 1 provide a unit which is simple in construction which serves as a combined propeller and rudder for the carrier, which unit is lashed or otherwise secured to the stern of the carrier and propels the carrier as distinguished from towing the same.

Referring to the drawings Reference character 1 designates generally a barge or boat having a water line indicated at 2. Suitably secured to the rear of the barge 1 by means of the tie lines 3 tied to suitable cleats 4 is what I will term the propelling device of my invention. This propelllng device may be of any suitable or desired construction, and while I have shown and will now describe one specific embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I am not to be limited. or restricted thereto as many changes in details of construction will readily 'occurtothose skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention as defined in the claims. In the particular form shown the propelling device consists of the pontoon members 5 and 6, to the front end of which are secured buffers 7 adapted to bear against the rear end of the barge or similar carrier 1. A platform 8 is rigidly secured to the pontoon members 5 and6 extending substantially the length of the pontoon mom-- bers 5 and 6. The platform 8 serves as atie for thepontoon members 5 and 6 and renders the pontoon constructlon a rigid unit, and it will be noted that the platform gas engine, indicated generally at 9 for driving the shaft 10. A reverse gear indicated diagrammatically at 11 and controlled by the lever 12 tosecure positive rotation of the shaft 10 in either direction from the constantly' rotating source of power 9.is carried by the platform 8. The end of the shaft 10 carmesgear wheel 12 which meshes .with

gear wheel 13 mounted on shaft 1.4:,r-thieh shaft 14 is suitably journaled in the pontoon members as clearly shown. A transverse shaft 15 likewise extends between the pontoon members and has mounted thereon within the pontoon members sprockets :16, which sprockets are connected by chains 17 operating over sprockets 18 mounted on shaft '14:. Also mounted on the shaft 15 is a paddle wheel 7. It will be noted that the shaft 15 is journaled in the respective pontoon members above the water line, and the paddle wheel is positioned between the two pontoon members in the space formed by the termination of the platform 8 therebetween. From this it will be seen that the source of power 9 rotates the shaft 10 in one direction or the other according to the position of the reverse control 11 to operate the paddle wheel in one direction or the other to cause the propelling device to go forwardly ,or rearwarddy as desired. The propelling device of my invention is preferably .iv-onsideu ably smaller than the barge both as to width. length and heightnand for this reason a pilot house is provided which affords a station fol the helmsman for guiding the carrier in its travel. It isobvious that the pilot house should be positioned above .the height of the carrier .to'allow a clear vision of the waterway in front of the carrier. It is known that bridges over the various canals are of comparatively low headway. and'it there fore necessary to allow provision for the lowering and raising of the pilothouse employed in accordance with my invention. I will now describe the pilot house or platform and the means for securing the upward and downward movement thereof and the control for said means. The pilot house or 7 platform indicated generally at 20 may, of course, he of any suitable size or construction. but I find it neferahle to loaite the same on the inside pontoon member. The house is supported by a threaded shaft 21 which passes through an interiorly threaded sleeve 22 fastened to the top ofthe pontoon 6 for free rotative movement therein as shown best in Fig. 5. The top end of the shaft 21 is secured :to the under-surfaceof .the pilot house 20 without free rotative movement relative thereto. The respective corners of the pilot houseQO are provided with supporting and guiding shafts 23, all

.of'which. together with the shaft 21, are

adapted to pass downwardly into the body of the pontoon 6 through openings provided therefor in the top ofsaid pontoon. It is understood, however, that the sleeve 22 is the onlyone that rotates relative to thepilot house 20] The rotatable sleeve -22 has mountedsthe'reon a .gear'24: which mBShQs with gear :25 mounted on shaft 26, the rotation which is controlled by means of the reversing lnechanism diagrammat ically illustrated at 27. The end of the shaft 26 is provided with gear wheel which meshes with gear wheel 29 mounted on main shaft 10. Thus .itwill be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 26 in one direction or the other the gear wheel 2%]: and the sleeve 22 will be rotated in one direction or the other thereby 'ausing the shaft 2] to raise or lower as the case may be thus securing the raising or lowering movement of the pilot house. As the portion ,of the shaft 10 extending between the engine and the reversing: mechanism 11 is constantly rotating in one direction it will be apparent that by merely controlling the reversing mechanism "2:? the shaft 21 may be caused to rotate in one direction or the other or to remain stationary after the clutch of the member 27 :is placed in its neutral position. It is desirable to secure the controlof the operation of the pilot house hoisting mechanism from the pilot house itself, and for that reason I have shown the control lever or arm 28 of the ,clntching; mechanism 27 connectedby means of a link 29- with a collar 30, provided with a square opening therein through which passes shaft 31 where; by the shaft 31 may more upwardly and downwardly relative to the collar 30 upon the raising or lowering movement of the pilot house 20 but upon rotative movement of the shaft 31 the collar 30 is rotated and the link 29 consequentlymoved and the arm 28 controlled thereby in accordance with the direction of rotation of the shaft 31. Any suitable means may be employed for securing rotation of the shaft 31. and for this purpose I heavev shown a control handle 35} positioned on the pilot house for securing the aforesaid control.

T will now describe the .nieans employed in accordance with my invention for steering the propelling device from the pilot house. I provideasquare shaft 40 controlled-in any suitable manner, for example. by means ,of itlielhandle 4:1 within the pilot house. which shaft 40 is adapted to slide through the square orifice formed in gear wheel &3, which gear wheel, though rotati-ve, is secured against longitudinal movement. When the shaft 40 rotates gear wheel 43 is rotated and rotates gear wheel 4,4 in mesh therewith. which last gear wheel is mounted at one end of the shaft 45, the other end of which carriesgear wheel 46, which meshes with gear wheel 47 mounted on shaft 518 extending! hetween the rear .end of thepontoon embers 51and 16in a position behind thepaddlie wheel 1-7. The haft 48 has moimtecflthereon a plurality of gear wheels 49 eac of which meshes with gear wheel 50. mounted on a shaft to which is secured the rudder memders 51 are thus controlled simultaneously as will be apparent.

I will now describe the means whereby the propulsive power of the propelling device is controlled. The clutch and reversing mechanism 11 is controlled for forward, neutral or backward positions by means of the member 12 as hereinbefore described. The member 12 has secured thereto the bell crank lever which is connected by link 61 to the rota-' tive but longitudinally stationary collar 62 which is provided. with the square orifice as hereinbefore described with respect to the shafts 31 and 10 for free longitudinal movement relative to each other but for rotatory movement in unison with each other. The handle 68 mounted within the pilot house 20 secures rotative movement of the shaft 64' which passes through the collar 62 whereby upon rotation in either one direction or the other the reversing and clutch mechanism 11 is controlled irrespective of the raising or lowering movement of the pilot house 20 relative to thepontoons. It may be desired to secure automatic control of the pilot house raising and lowering movement, that is, it may be desired to automatically shut off the raising movement when the maximum height of the pilot house has been reached and to similarly shut off the lowering movement of the pilot house when the same has reached the deck or surface of the pontoon. A simple means of accomplishing this is shown in Fig. 6 wherein the shaft 26 is provided with a worm 70 which meshes with a wheel 71 to whichis eccentrically secured one end of a rod 72. the other end-of which is pivotally secured to a spreading U-shaped lock 73 within the limits of which the control arm 28 of the clutch mechanism 27 is located.

In the positions shown in Fig. 6 the clutch lever 29 has been moved to secure the lowering movement of the pilot house whereupon the shaft 26 is rotated counterclockwise causing the wheel 71 to be rotated clockwise. As soon as the wheel 71 starts to rotate the sliding lock 73 moves towards the left until the right hand end thereof bears against the control arm 28" and pulls the same into neutral position. 4

Very many changes in detail will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims, therefore, having set forth the objects and nature of my invention and having shown and described a specific embodiment thereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a conveying barge, a pair of pontoons, rigidly united by a platform therebetween, propulsion means and guiding means 1 between said pontoons, a power unit on said platform for operating said propulsion means, a vertically adjustable control station also mounted to operate on said platform, and means operable by said power unit for raising and lowering said control station. y

2. In a conveyer barge, comprising a supporting bridge and a pair of pontoons rigidlyunited by said bridge, propulsion means for said barge, a power unit on said bridge for operating said propulsion means, a ver-' tically adjustable control station mounted on one of said pontoons, and a screw thread: ed device operable by said power unit for changing the level of said control station.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 9th day of August A. D.,

BERTELL W. KING. 

